


Project Aerthe

by houfukuseisaku



Category: Original Work
Genre: Multi, a long-running ocverse ive been working on since i was...... in primary school, characters and setting and plot subject to change on a whim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 17:23:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17564792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/houfukuseisaku/pseuds/houfukuseisaku
Summary: A thousand-year experiment. A lonely nonexistence. When children are made to become gods and shoulder the weight of the world.





	1. project:seraf3im

**Author's Note:**

> [72] And so, every hundred years or so, the Messiah will be reborn alongside the Seven Sacrifices, and the eight souls will eternally be pulled towards each other in their desire to be reunited once more.
> 
> \-- 54-72, Chapter Seven: "Trials and Punishment", Book of Record

It was too good to be true. It didn't make any sense. Why would the Four Magi pick, out of the thousands of people with magic potential within the Celestial Kingdom, and the 72 candidates of Project:SERAF3IM, the seven of them? The seven most, in his honest opinion, corrupted children out of Eden's entire populace.

Why were they the ones chosen to accompany the Messiah on a grand quest to release the Gods from imprisonment?

So Ein did what he always does best: surveillance, discreet monitoring, eavesdropping. Sticking his nose in places where it didn't belong. The truth he discovered, while expected, still shocked him.

For the Magi to saddle their child, even if the Messiah was an artificial one not born of mortal womb, with the blame and guilt of having their friends become empty Vessels for the Gods to use as puppets. The Gods that had Fallen, who by now were clamouring for the world's destruction after eons of confinement within the Seven Towers.

The more he learned, the more horrified he became. Such ugly truths, hidden away from the public eye! The real circumstances of the Messiah's mysterious birth. The real reason behind the Prophet Master's sudden death. The real purpose of finding seven candidates through Project:SERAF3IM.

The real wish of the Magi and the Gods.

The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Ein cursed as he sorted through the deluge of information in his mind. Use the Sinners as a conduct to unleash the Sins. Seal away the Virtues within the False Vessels. Condemn the Messiah as the scapegoat for the quest's failure, and wash their hands clean of the spilled blood. Release the Fallen Gods to bring the world to a premature end.

Take away the seven most hated people in Eden, the ones nobody would miss.

The ones everyone wanted gone.

He sucked in a shaky breath, suddenly acutely aware of the moisture in his eyes.

Everyone, except the Messiah. The Messiah who befriended them despite all their malice, all their imperfections. The Messiah who loved them despite their sins. The Messiah who said, "If the world calls you evil, then I myself am evil as well for loving you."

The Messiah who would undoubtedly follow the Magi's every command in blind faith and childish infatuation. Who would surely hate the seven if they were to go against the Magi's wishes.

Reeling in shock and dread, Ein considered his options. Telling the Messiah outright was out of the question; at best he would be greeted with incredulous denial if not rage. So was bringing it up with any of the Magi; if they found out he knew, they would surely- he stopped that thought in its tracks. No, he didn't want to think about what punishment they were capable of administering- what they would do to any of them, especially not the Messiah.

The other six came to mind. If he told them, then... all of them loved the Messiah dearly. That much he was certain. But were they willing to risk their lives...? He curled his fingers into fists. Ein knew he would. He would gladly give up everything for the Messiah's sake.

The Messiah was the first person whose love he felt was true and genuine. His heart panged with a mixture of emotions, all of them none-too-happy to see each other.

Yes, he would tell the others. They would come up with something to save both the Messiah and the world. Even if it... he gulped. Even if it meant their deaths. So be it. He recalled the traits and specialties of the other six, desperate to formulate a plan.

The Successor, Inverre, was a resourceful person. He had his fingers in every pie, had connections everywhere it mattered. He did hire Ein as his confidant and informant, after all, though "officially", Ein was just an artisan hired by the imperial family. Inverre would be able to scheme up something.

The Priestess and the Physician, Alice and Rogze, they were wise and knowledgeable, even if Ein himself thought otherwise. They could figure out how to seal away the Fallen Gods, surely.

The Diva and the Dancer, Ellyar and Florinne. Despite appearances, both boys were easily the strongest of the group in physical and mental terms respectively. They could be used to ease the journey and possibly bolster the Messiah's confidence on the way.

That left Meris, the Musician. Meris would... she could... comfort the Messiah, if things went wrong. So that meant that Meris would… have to be sacrificed last, if it came to that. The Messiah’s heart would break with their betrayal, surely, but at least Meris would be with them until the very last Tower.

Though his eyesight was far from good, Ein wasn't blind. He could see that, out of the seven of them, the Messiah loved Meris the most. If the Messiah's love for the Magi could be described as Storge, then the Messiah's love for the seven was surely Philia, and the love for Meris exclusively was definitely Eros.

Storge, Philia, Eros. Familial love, the love of friendship, romance.

He knew, they all knew, even the Magi had probably noticed it by now if they weren’t the ones orchestrating the whole thing in the first place. Everyone except perhaps the Messiah and Meris themselves.

Then, would their love for the Messiah count as an unconditional love, Agape...?

Ein laughed despite himself, muffling his voice with trembling hands. An unrepentant sinner, thinking about love in the eve of his looming death. What a mess.

Collecting his thoughts, he gave a cursory glance around him. The miscellaneous researchers of the Institute were all too busy with their work, barely paying him any attention. Good. Likely the only ones who would be suspicious with his activities were the Magi themselves, and they were too busy dealing with the Project—preparing for the seven sacrifices, he reminded himself.

Taking care not to make a sound, Ein slipped from his hiding place in one of the many unused balconies overlooking the main laboratory and headed towards the special classroom for the candidates, where he had told the other six to gather earlier.

His only regret was that the Messiah would suffer, no matter the outcome.

* * *

The stifling silence hung heavy and oppressive in the air. Everyone had grim looks on their faces, staring at each other with apprehensive eyes and words that wouldn’t come out, stuck in their throats.

Finally, Meris decided to speak up, trembling voice barely containing her horror and overflowing resentment. “How could they—?!”

Alice banged the butt of her staff on the marble floor, her visage twisted with a mixture of disgust and pity. “To think that they could do such a thing to their own child!”

“They’re worse than we are, to sacrifice eight innocent children in order to damn the world to destruction—though, I wouldn’t exactly call the seven of _us_ innocent. Still, it’s an evil act I can’t imagine any one of us committing, despite our own cruelties.” Rogze added quietly, shaking his head. “And that’s quite a feat to achieve, to be honest.”

The silence fell again as everyone digested the young prodigy’s words. True, the seven children were quite possibly the seven vilest people in Eden—and possibly in the entirety of Aerthe as well—but right now, the Four Magi seemed to be vying for that title instead.

“What now? What should we do?” Ellyar asked, his normally melodious voice reduced to a diminished monotone in his dread. “Should we confront the Messiah about it?”

“No.” Inverre said, tone commanding and brimming with authoritative confidence as always. “Ein personally consulted with me earlier about this, and we think it is best not to bring it up with Caeles. And asking any of the Magi about it is definitely out of the question.”

“Then… what do you suggest, Your Highness?” Florinne asked, twisting his pouting lips into a frown. “We can’t mention a word to the Messiah or the Magi, and I’m willing to bet that either none of the other researchers know about this, or they’re all in on it as well! We’re doomed.”

“That’s where we come in.” Ein interjected, joining the conversation after having stayed strangely quiet since the beginning. “Call it fate, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence the seven of us were chosen for this Project. We might be the perfect Vessels of Sin, but each of us have a special quality as well. Qualities that the Magi would gladly be rid of, since we seem to be the only ones capable of going against them, as it stands.”

“For instance, you two,” pointing at Alice and Rogze, Ein then made a gesture to his own head. “Though I loathe to admit it, Alice is imperceptibly wise in the magical and spiritual arts, while Rogze is undeniably the best in the technological and scientific fronts.”

“I suppose that’s true.” Rogze huffed under his breath, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks at the praise. Alice simply looked away.

“Ellyar and Florinne. The sole remaining Divine Diva who can commandeer physical beings with just his voice, and the most famous dancer in Eden who can affect minds with his… well, dancing.”

“Yes, keep stroking my ego like that~!” Florinne giggled, hiding his smile behind a sleeve. “Maybe I’ll give you a special dance in return, one day.”

Ein pulled a face, but continued onward, gesturing toward Inverre and his own self. “The Successor of Eden who can pull people into delusions just by looking into their eyes, and I’m pretty sure all of us know by now what my talents are, despite my official profession as a mere dollmaker.”

Inverre scoffed, adjusting his glasses. “It’s not my fault most commoners are not worthy enough to meet my gaze without being blinded by their own darkness, you know. And mind you, Ein, you’re the Royal Clockworker. Don’t talk so lightly of your own esteemed post like that.”

“Yes, yes. And lastly,” Ein leaned forward, jabbing at Meris’ chest with his thumb. “You. Meris the Musician.”

Meris shrunk back, seeming to fold in on herself. “Yes, me. Just a lowly musician.” She shot back harshly, clutching both hands to her chest. “And unless you’d like a bullet between your eyes, I suggest that you don’t mention what other jobs I do, Informant!”

“Of course, of course. How rude of me.” Raising his hands up in mock surrender, Ein conceded. “Between the seven of us, I’m sure we can think of something to stop the Magi’s plans and save both the world and the Messiah.”

“The only question is,” Alice quietly interrupted, lowering her gaze. “How far each of us is willing to go for the Messiah’s sake. It’s true that we all love them very much, but…”

Once again, silence fell upon the seven like a heavy curtain, blocking out all noise save for the sounds of strained breathing. Everyone gazed at each other, desperately searching for something.

“… I’ve given my heart to the Messiah.” Meris mumbled, fidgeting with a lock of her purple hair. “I’ll gladly give my life as well, if it comes to that.”

The others stared at her with wide eyes and barely-concealed surprise.

A smile broke Ein’s face as dry laughter bubbled out from his between his lips. “The Messiah gave me a reason to live, when I’ve been looking for a way to die. The least I can do is to return the favour.”

Alice and Rogze shared a look, before lacing their hands together. “The Messiah brought us together,” Rogze nodded, “and even though that faceless person in my memory still haunts me until now, I’ve been thinking about it less and less since I’ve met Alice.”

“One day, my wish will come true, and I’ll be able to truly reunite with the one that I love,” Alice sighed, “but I’m glad that I got to meet Rogze. It feels like my wish has been half-granted already, with how much Rogze reminds me of my beloved.”

Florinne grinned and threw an arm around Ellyar’s shoulder, while the Diva simply sighed in irritation. “Hey, hey, don’t forget about us! I managed to finally let go of my unrequited childhood love and get a hot boyfriend! The Messiah really is a miracle-worker.”

“Call me your boyfriend one more time and I’ll pull your heart out of your chest and eat it raw.” Ellyar growled, though he didn’t do anything about Florinne’s embrace. “But… yes. I’m glad the Messiah introduced us. I was going through such a hard time before I met you.”

“Aw, see! You do love me!” Florinne teased, pulling Ellyar closer to the Diva’s dismay.

“A-hem.” Inverre gave a pointed cough, before letting a small smile grace his features. “While I have no such obligations towards the Messiah like all of you, I must admit… only Caeles so far has been able to see through my illusions. Not bound by any regrets and negative emotions. Anyone who possesses such a pure, carefree heart… is deserving of praise, in my book.”

The other six remained quiet, processing what had just happened. The Successor of the Court, Prince Inverre Ficul ei’Eden, the Vessel of Pride who looked down on everyone else… giving a compliment?

“… You’re not such a bad person yourself, Your Majesty.” Meris chuckled, politely inclining her head to the now red-faced Inverre. “And here I thought we were soon going to have a stone-cold brat ruling with an iron fist and an icy heart on the throne.”

“And here I thought the famed Musician would be a sociable, graceful bard instead of this awkward, anxious bundle of nerves.” Inverre returned drily, though there was no malice in his tone.

The seven children shared a laugh, before returning to the sobering matter at hand.

“So, everyone is in agreement?” Ein asked.

“Yes.” Rogze and Alice answered as one, followed by murmurs of assent from the others. “We will whatever it takes to save our dear friend, as well as this world.”

“Well,” Meris breathed out slowly, pulling out an object from her violin case and slipping it into the holster at her waist. “Never thought I’d have to handle this accursed thing again.”

“Is that your…?” Ein reached towards Meris, but pulled back when the musician seemed to cower away. “Nevermind. You’ll tell us about it if you need to, alright? No need to rush.”

“… T-thank you, Ein.” Taken aback by Ein’s words, Meris stammered.

“If it’s true that the divine beings living in the Seven Towers are actually Fallen Gods,” Alice mused, brushing off Meris’ strange behaviour with a noncommittal wave of her hand. “Then I suppose it’s up to me to do something about it. Seal them away again, or better yet, in a different Vessel. Ones that can easily be disposed of or hidden away. Hm… even though I’ve banished a few lingering and vengeful spirits before, I haven’t had much experience with something to the magnitude of gods.”

“I can help you with that.” Inverre offered, tilting his head to one side. “There are plenty of ancient texts relating to spirits, sealing spells and such in the Royal Library, though they’ve been locked away because the senile old men of the Council claim it to be ‘heretical and potentially catastrophic’ if the books fall into the wrong hands. But no one dares to deny the Successor of what he desires, so I’m sure I can grab a few manuals and things if you need them.”

“Next thing is establishing communication.” Continuing where Alice left off, Rogze immediately switched into his ‘serious mode’, pulling out notebook and a pen and starting to scribble with the utmost haste. “If we happen to get separated during the journey, and I believe we will if we are to save the Messiah from whatever abominations lurk in those Seven Towers, a way of maintaining at least auditory contact with each other would be indispensable.”

“What can we use?” Alice piped up, curling a finger under her chin. “If we bring some sort of headset or earplugs, the Messiah’s bound to notice, no matter how much we try to hide it. They’ll get suspicious.”

Wracking his brain, Florinne snapped his fingers, his face lighting up. “How about the flowers the Messiah gave us? We can wear them in our hair, and we can claim that we’re bringing them along as a good luck charm! You’re a smart kid, Rogze, you can do your thing on the flowers, right?”

“Of course I can!” The aforementioned smart kid scoffed, crossing his arms. “Such a thing is child’s play for me!”

“We could also say that it’s a reminder of our friendship with the Messiah.” Ellyar added quietly, lost in thought. “I’m sure that’ll make them very happy… and our eventual betrayal all the more painful.”

“… It’s for the best.” Inverre quietly reminded, looking away. “If Caeles thinks we’re betraying them, then they won’t have to feel guilty about ‘failing’ the quest. At least, I hope they won’t.”

“Guys, if… if we have to die…” Meris spoke with a trembling voice. “Can I be the last one to go? I… I want to stay by the Messiah’s side… until the very end…!”

Everyone except Ein turned to glare at her, but the artisan raised his hand and silenced all of them before they could shoot Meris down.

“Remember, everyone. The Messiah loves Meris the most. We’ve all seen the truth of it by now.” The frank statement caused the musician to further retreat into herself, eyes becoming damp with tears. “Then, it’s only fair that Meris dies last. She can comfort the Messiah when the rest of us betray them, until it is her turn to do the same.”

“But, Meris, understand this.” Holding the musician’s chin up so that they were eye-to-eye, Ein steeled his voice. “If the Messiah loves you the most, then they will surely hate you the most, after everything is over. Can you live with that? Can you face your death with that knowledge, that the one you love above everything else will despise every fiber of your being, your very existence?”

Meris trembled in Ein’s grip, red eyes shakily darting this way and that. Finally, she gulped in a deep breath, forcing her mind to clear and her words to form. Her voice rang out strong and clear, and Ein smiled.

“Even if she hates me, even if she calls me evil, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her and her smile.”

 


	2. the dragon's tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short story collection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very VERY obviously inpsired by evichro

# 1\. The Story of a Lone Demon

Ah…  
Today, too, is boring.  
Today, too, I’m bored.  
All these people in the market.  
Adults, children, rich, poor, noisy, silent, tall, short,  
Everything in between and beyond—  
Are all so very, very boring.

Nobody here has any wish.  
Nobody here has any ambition.  
Nobody here has any pride in themselves.

They just go about their days  
Without ever looking back or forward.

How boooring.

…Hm?  
There’s someone I haven’t seen before.  
There are a few people I haven’t seen before.

Their appearances are strange.  
From another country?  
Their relationship is strange.  
Friends? Or something else?  
Their wishes, too, are strange.  
Happiness?  
Love?

…Ah, there we go.  
That third one.  
That blacksmith.  
Overshadowed by everyone around them?  
Feelings of inferiority?

They wish.  
To become the best blacksmith in the world.

I will grant their wish.  
I will fulfil their ambition.  
I will become something they can be proud of.

Yes, look over here.  
Yes, come closer.  
Yes, see me.  
Aren’t I beautiful?

But in your hands.  
I can become something even more beautiful.

Give it over.  
Give it to me.  
Give over everything to me.

And,  
In return.

Let me.  
Give you.  
My.  
Pride.

…Until the day I get bored of you as well,  
Entertain me as best you can.  
Pitiful, foolish human.

# 2\. The Story of a Sword

From a beautiful mask.  
To a bloodstained sword.

From a blacksmith.  
To a sovereign.  
To a ghost.  
To a knight.

From pride.  
To revenge.

…The demon had seen it all.

From reason.  
To life.  
To memories.  
To relationships.

…The sword had severed it all.

What does it hope for?  
What does it wish for?

Maybe, that is something  
That only the demon knows.

Maybe, that is something  
That even the demon has forgotten.

Now,  
The only thing that is left to do  
Is to stave off the boredom  
Of an eternal life.

Now that the tragic story  
Of many tragic stories intertwined  
Has come to a close,  
The demon returns to sleep in the sword.

…Awaiting its new plaything.

# 3\. The Story of a Choice

For the sake of protecting their loved one,  
The sorcerer made the choice to stay in the tower.

For the sake of protecting their loved one,  
The dragon made the choice to stay in the tower.

Though the choices they made in the beginning  
Were the same.  
The choices they made in the end  
Were not.

The sorcerer made the choice.  
To be embittered by betrayal.  
To curse that which is innocent.  
To become poison.

The dragon made the choice.  
To accept an unhealthy love.  
To bless that which is evil.  
To be poisoned.

The sorcerer became a vengeful spirit  
Bound to the tower, to the emotion of wrath.  
The dragon became a sleeping beauty  
Bound to the tower, to the world of dreams.

…If the sorcerer had chosen  
To leave the tower,  
Perhaps they could have lived  
With their beloved children  
By their side.

…If the dragon had chosen  
To leave the tower,  
Perhaps they could have lived  
With their beloved twin  
By their side.

They both gave up everything.  
They both lost everything.

Because of the choices they made,

For the sake of protecting their loved one.

# 4\. Poison or Justice?

“Drink it.”

I look at the glass bottle in my hand, then return my gaze to my twin. I know what the bottle contains. I’ve seen Briar make it, many times before. Back when they still held a grudge against Cinder. Back when they still desired revenge.

A few of their petals, mixed with ebony wood, first snow, and fresh blood.

It’s poison.

“Drink it.” Briar repeats, a little more desperately. “It will bring you happiness. It will bring you peace. It will save you, Bette. It is the only justice in this world. It’s the only thing left I can give you.”

Oh, Briar, how could you have become like this? Is it my fault? Perhaps, if only I had left the tower and stayed by your side, I could have saved you from the monster you have become.

If I am the beast, then are you now my enchanted rose, Briar?

This truly is.

Morgan’s curse.

 “I can’t bear to see you so sad,” they choke out, hysterical, hands fisting in the fabric of my sleeves, “so please, Bette, accept my gift. In that world, you won’t need to be sad anymore! You can smile instead!” Briar’s voice cracks with emotion, the most vulnerable I have ever seen them ever since they became sovereign. “Please, Bette, I want to see you smile…”

You want to see me smile—

In that world?

In eternal sleep?

In death?

Look at them, clutching at my dress like a lost child, curled up and hunched over, sobbing into my shoulder.

Like I had done to them, many, many years ago.

Ah, if only I could turn back time.

I wonder what emotion they had worn on their face, back then.

…I wonder what emotion I’m wearing on my face, right now.

It isn’t anger. Nor is it sorrow.

I think.

It is pity.

Oh, Briar, my pitiful, foolish twin. It is my fault. I had done everything I did for your sake, but perhaps I was wrong in doing so. Perhaps, what you needed most, was for me to be by your side.

Then.

If this poison.

No, if this salvation is your gift to me.

I will gladly accept it.

Opening the bottle’s stopper, I bring the rim to my lips and tip my head back, feeling the black liquid chill my throat on the way down.

Ah.

It doesn’t hurt?

“Not—poison?” I manage to slur out, before the world tilts on its axis and I slump onto Briar’s shoulder. “What… is… it…”

Everything feels fuzzy.

I think.

I can hear Briar singing.

A lullaby?

They sound so happy.

And yet, so sad.

Ah.

The feeling of Briar’s arms under my body.

The feeling of Briar’s fingers in my hair.

The feeling of Briar’s lips on my cheek.

Is nice.

For your sake,

I’ll keep smiling.

Even in the world of dreams.

…

Good night, Briar.

If we.

Ever.

Meet again.

In another life.

Let’s play pretend.

Once more.

Just the two of us.

…And.

I’m sorry.

I didn’t.

Stay.

By your side.

I hope.

That someone.

Can save you.

As you.

Have saved.

Me.


	3. domino effect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short story collection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now THIS series has nothing to do with project aerthe but im too lazy to post it as another work so *shrug emoji*
> 
> also, this one is inspired by hypmic. well i came up with the premise before hypmic existed but yeah now its basically kinda hypmic
> 
> also also, im so fuckign sorry for the first part. sometimes my characters are horny on main and so am i

# 1\. friend or foe

It’s an off day for Pandora’s Box. Their next Diva Duel isn’t scheduled until next month, so the Hearts higher-ups had seen fit to allow the Court a short holiday. Each of the Divas had gone off their own ways to spend the free time.

Except for Roseaux, of course. The former assassin still has to remain at PB’s headquarters, owing to his house arrest sentence. Of course, any punishment is better than the death penalty, so he doesn’t really have any right to complain, especially since his current sentence basically amounts to _sing_ and _fight_ and _don’t run away_.

Still.

Roseaux sighs, shifting his position on the couch, idly channel-surfing the TV as he tries to battle his boredom. At least the headquarters’ kitchen is stocked full of food and drink, so there isn’t any chance of him starving to death.

Being bored to death, though, is another matter entirely.

He tries to keep his mind busy by thinking of his current situation as a Diva. It isn’t as bad as he had first thought, and the position does come with many benefits. Free food and lodging, for one. The popularity is a nice bonus, especially for one whose reputation is mostly as an infamous hitman.

And his fellow Divas are pretty agreeable people too, Sigma and Nikkie in particular.

His thoughts drift to Nikkie. Strangely, the nurse hadn’t immediately shunned him after learning of his previous “occupation”. In fact, the fiery girl had taken it as some sort of challenge, intent on breaking through his many, many walls to become his “friend”. Or something else, possibly.

He likes her spunk, though he still doesn’t know what to make of her current “project” regarding him. Ah, well. Not like it’s that much important, and he doubts that she could truly pierce the shell of his persona to reveal the true personality underneath.

Roseaux chuckles, shaking his head. Even he himself doesn’t know what kind of person he really is, the fragments and shards of his past and personality buried under— well, everything that makes him as he is now.

Doesn’t matter, not anymore.

He forces himself to think of something else, his mind’s eye helpfully supplying the memory of last week’s duel. Pandora’s Box had fought against Fallen Angel and won, though it was a very close battle.

Fallen Angel, the Court of the Diamonds Suit. Roseaux huffs through his nose as he recalls their Divas. A bunch of stuck-up brats with almost no sense of teamwork, but where they lack in that aspect, they excel in individual power.

The Lily twins in particular, he has to look out for. Separated, neither of them were any match for him, but together, they formed a powerful force that took Sigma and Sae’s collective strength to defeat. For a Jack and Ace sibling duo to stand toe-to-toe with a King and Ace sibling duo…

His thoughts shift to Eimear, Fallen Angel’s Queen. Though his defensive capabilities were impressive, the man had fallen easily to Roseaux’s onslaught, especially when he used his Domino. Roseaux smirks inwardly, though his face remains as outwardly expressionless as it always is, as he remembers the look of utter panic that crossed Eimear’s face when he summoned his Domino.

But… as pitifully weak as he was that day, Eimear’s also crafty and resourceful. Roseaux had been solely focused on taking out the FA’s Queen that he didn’t notice what was happening to the rest of Eimear’s team. The younger man had set up and focused his Domino on his teammates so that Sigma and Sae’s combined attacks on them basically amounted to almost nothing.

It took Nikkie physically pulling him away from Eimear’s barely-conscious body that Roseaux was finally able to help his team in defeating the Fallen Angels. Even then, it was a very close thing.

Ding dong, the doorbell rings, jolting him from his thoughts

With a growl, Roseaux switches off the TV, getting to his feet and going to the door, almost tearing it off its hinges as he swings it wide open.

To think that he nearly caused his team’s loss because he was distracted by Eimear’s shy smile that somehow paradoxically seems like a sly smirk at the same time. It’s infuriating.

“What the fuck do you… want…” Roseaux grumbles, trailing off as he recognizes just _who_ exactly is standing in front of the open door.

“Hello to you, too.” Eimear greets softly, raising his hand to give a little wave. Roseaux only stares at him blankly, having half a mind to slam the door shut in Eimear’s face.

“Give me a reason why I shouldn’t kill you right here and now.”

“Whoa, wait, hold on,” eyes widening, Eimear holds his hands up in surrender, taking a step back. “I just wanted to come and congratulate you for PB’s win, Roseaux. Calm down.”

“Don’t fucking tell ME to calm down.” Roseaux hisses, his grip on the doorframe turning white-knuckled with tension.

“Okay, okay! Look, your teammates told me you couldn’t leave the headquarters, so I thought that I could come over and accompany you for a little bit. That’s all.”

“—Are you… PITYING me?!”

“No, not at all! Ahem,” giving a little cough, Eimear flashes Roseaux a smile, that shy/sly smile that makes the older man’s head spin with strange, unfamiliar emotions. “Call it a little… reconnaissance, if you will. I want to know more about the Diva who hit me in the face with a full Domino.”

“Tch, you’re lucky you survived that. If the Diva Duels weren’t done in a virtual stage, that Domino would have wrecked your shit.” Sighing, Roseaux lets up his grip on the doorframe, inviting Eimear in. “Don’t make a mess. Or do, I don’t care. Just, fucking— whatever.”

“You swear a lot, hm.” Eimear notes, humming as he steps into the building. “Nice place. The Hearts higher-ups really treat you well, don’t they? Woo,” sucking in an excited breath, Eimear shuffles over to the stage emulator in the corner of the lounge. “You even got a stage emulator? No way!”

“Hah. I bet the HQ’s not as nice as yours though, rich boy.” Roseaux laughs, closing the door and trailing behind Eimear. “Fallen Angel’s HQ is probably decked out with max bling and the best tech, am I right?”

Eimear’s smile curdles at the edges.

“Actually, the Diamonds don’t sponsor us or anything. Unlike you guys, we don’t even really have a HQ,” he explains, scratching at his cheek. Roseaux’s eyebrows rise in surprise. “We just bounce between our houses, or Aoife’s shop. The Lily twins do have a stage emulator at their manor, but it’s not as big as this one.”

“What, really?” Roseaux asks, feeling slightly guilty for his earlier words. “No funding or anything? Well, shit. That… sounds like it sucks real bad, sorry.”

“Well, c’est la vie,” laughing it off, Eimear gives Roseaux another one of those special smiles. Roseaux actually feels his face heat up, abruptly averting his eyes so that he can’t see the smile anymore. Even though he wants to see more of it. See Eimear smile more and more.

“Shit,” he curses under his breath, slapping a hand to his forehead. “Fuck. Fucking really, jackass? What are you, a hormonal teenager?”

“Eh?”

“Nothing, nothing at all,” smoothing his face over to its usual blank expression, Roseaux regards Eimear out of the corner of his eye. “So, what now? You’re in the enemy’s HQ, congrats on managing to seduce yourself into the lion’s den… wait, fuck.”

“What was that?” Eimear coos, innocently fluttering his lashes. Goddamn, why’s he so good-looking? Roseaux chokes on air as the thought invades his brain and refuses to leave. Pretty boy’s gonna be the death of me…

“Oi, it’s rude to ignore a guest, you know!”

“Hah? Oh, sorry ‘bout tha—,” Roseaux mutters, and then his voice dies in his throat. Because Eimear’s on his tippy-toes and staring directly into Roseaux’s eyes, their faces so close he can actually feel the shorter man’s breath on his cheek.

Taking a step back, Roseaux nearly bites his tongue as his foot catches on the carpet, sending him tumbling backwards, thankfully, onto the couch. But Eimear bends down to follow him, gripping the couch’s cushions and trapping Roseaux between the barrier of his arms, and suddenly Roseaux feels like he can’t breathe.

“Y’know, I didn’t think the Origami Killer would be this easy to catch off guard,” Eimear muses, tilting his head with a wolfish grin. “Mmh, with a voice like yours… I’ve had my eye on you for a while, Roseaux.”

The way his own name rolls off Eimear’s tongue makes Roseaux blush. He tries to push the shorter man off, but a purple aura suddenly manifests around them, glowing the same colour as Eimear’s eyes.

“Crafty fucker,” he manages to growl, narrowing his eyes in an attempt at a glare. “Using your Domino like this. Did ya set it up before you came in, like you did at the duel?”

“Bingo, you catch on quick. And what can I say? Barriers are my forte,” Eimear gives a one-shoulder shrug, still grinning. “They don’t call me the best Queen in Babylon for nothing.”

“Congrats, you got a crush on a serial killer. Former, technically.” Roseaux deadpans, ignoring the burning in his cheeks. “Since when? The duel? Fuck, man, that’s like, last week!”

“Not the duel,” Eimear mumbles, inhaling a deep breath. “Since you started, you know, murdering people? Getting famous for it. And hey, you’re a hitman, not a serial killer. Dancing with death for the sake of money,” he hisses, drawing out the syllables, “I like that.”

“Weird kink, you sonuvabitch,” Roseaux breathes, wrapping his arms around Eimear’s shoulders. “Nice. Cool. Finally got myself a boyfriend. Kinda. Hey, you gonna kiss me yet or do I hafta pull out a knife and stab you first—“

With a roll of his eyes, Eimear pushes forward until his lips meet Roseaux’s, just the briefest of feather-light touches, before he pulls back, to Roseaux’s immediate and immense displeasure.

“The fuck was that?!”

“Just a little teaser, ‘s all,” bringing a finger to his lips, Eimear stands up, leaving Roseaux sprawled on the couch with a scowl on his face. “You want the real deal, you gotta win your next duel. Heard that the Big Bad Wolf are a bunch of bloodthirsty maniacs, so you might not wanna let anything distract you until then.”

“Piece of shit!” Roseaux growls, though he can’t help bark out a laugh as he throws a cushion at Eimear, who easily dodges by sidestepping it. “Go away before I kick your ass.”

“No need for that, I’ll show myself out,” Eimear smiles again, a sight that makes Roseaux’s heart flutter no matter how many times he sees it. “See you soon, Roseaux.”

“Don’t make me use my Domino on you again, fucker!”

With a hearty chuckle, the FA’s Queen leaves the headquarters, locking the door behind him. Roseaux counts out ten seconds before he lets out a loud, long sigh.

“Fuckin’ great, Roseaux. Just had to fall in love with a guy like that, huh. Un-fucking-believable.”

# 2\. constant change

The only unchanging thing in Sae’s life is that nothing is constant.

She’s not dull, regardless of what others may think of her. She’s heard the talks they have about her, the rumours they spread about her. Violent delinquent, moody brat, incomprehensible mystery, stupid simpleton, volatile ticking time-bomb, always raring and ready to explode. Maybe affable at first glance, like the ocean, but dark and deep and capable of dragging you down and drowning you.

Like the ocean.

And like the ocean, with its ever-changing waves, there’s nothing constant about her. That, she will admit.

That’s the only thing that people ever get right about her.

Everything else, all the masks, every facet of her ever-changing personality, all of it carefully cultivated and maintained for the sake of one person only.

The one constant in her life. The only thing that hasn’t changed.

Her love for her little brother.

Her precious little brother, the one light in her dark life. The sun shining on her ocean. The only person who hasn’t left her behind, not when their parents decided to disown her, not when their friends started to ignore her, not when the world gave up on her.

Her precious little brother.

Sae grips her headphone mic tighter, grits her teeth. Her Domino tingles at her fingertips, ready and raring to go, to explode, to be let out, to physically manifest the raging tempest of emotions always, always inside her.

To protect her precious little brother. Her one and only reason. Her constant.

She sings as ferociously as she fights, directs her teammates like a puppeteer would steer their marionettes, powerful and precise and everything and more for the sake of protecting the only one who hasn’t left her behind.

Who hasn’t left her alone, when she lost faith in the world that gave up on her.

She can’t lose. She won’t allow herself to lose.

That reason is what fuels her through every dreamless sleep and every waking moment. That reason is what allows her to sing and fight and direct Pandora’s Box in a brilliant display of tactics, a strategist unmatched by any other. That reason is what made her train and put her all into her meagre painting skills in the first place, so that she could follow in her little brother’s footsteps and protect him even as he became a Diva.

That reason is why she follows him, even as he’s changed by the ever-changing world around them. A little older, a little wiser, a little less happy and bright with each passing day, each passing year, no doubt the fault of the world around them.

No doubt the fault of the deep, dark ocean inside her.

But still one thing remains constant. His love for his precious big sister, his guardian, the deep, dark ocean to his bright, beautiful sun. That remains unwavering, even in the face of change. An undeniable fact of their relationship, their life.

That is why she loves him, protects him, sings and fights and follows him even to the end of the world.

Her reason.

Her precious little brother.

Her Domino tingles at her fingertips, ready and raring to go. Sae swings her arm up, fingers splayed. She barks out an order to fall back, one that her teammates readily follow without question. After so many duels, they know what’s going to happen. Both friend and foe alike watch, transfixed, as blades of light materialize above them all, targets locked and loaded.

The rage of an overprotective big sister isn’t one that can be stopped.

In an instant, the duel is over. The enemy Court, every single Diva knocked unconscious. The buzzer’s sound marking the end of the duel rings loud and clear, and the backdrop of the virtual stage fades out to reveal a cheering crowd, ecstatic at her Court’s victory.

But none of them call out her name.

Nikkie gives her a hesitant pat on the back. Roseaux reluctantly flashes her a thumbs up. Sae doesn’t begrudge them their fear, knows that they’ll be more comfortable with her later when she’s slipped back into her usual friendly Court-leader persona.

And, though she’ll be hard-pressed to admit it, she’s starting to care about them too, the two adults who willingly joined their Court despite everything. Despite everything. So she offers them quiet words of congratulations and encouragement, and her frozen heart melts just the tiniest bit when the fear on their faces fades away.

And that’s when Sigma, her precious little brother Sigma, her reason, her one and only constant, smiles at her with that brilliant smile, one with the intensity of a thousand suns that could pierce even her deep, dark ocean waves.

“Good job, Sae!”

Her precious little brother.

Her reason.

Sae smiles back, something small and fragile and hastily pieced together from something broken and lost, washed and carried away by the ever-changing waves of life.

“Only for you.”

She’ll do anything to protect him.

Her ever-changing constant.

# 3\. in sickness and in health

“Doctor, the next patient’s ready.”

“Alright, send them in.”

Karnelian sighs, gathering up the papers on his desk and setting them aside with an irritated click of his tongue.

Since the beginning of the new Domination Season, injuries had been on the rise, particularly because of battles between new Diva recruits underestimating their opponents and veteran Divas getting too lax with their enemies.

The door swings open and close with a squeak.

“Good day, what seems to be the problem?” Karnelian greets, glancing over to the patient before his eyes widen in recognition. “—Why, if it isn’t my little nurse!”

“Hi, Doctor.” Nikkie sheepishly responds, patting down her skirt as she sits in the chair. “Nice to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you too, Niko.” Eyes crinkling in a smile, Karnelian laughs lightly at Nikkie’s blush. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, it really has…” Trailing off, Nikkie averts her eyes from the doctor’s, hands fidgeting. Her actions don’t escape the doctor’s notice, and Karnelian drops the smile for a serious expression, easily switching into his serious-business mode.

“Is there something wrong? Are your Court-mates treating you poorly?”

“N-no, it’s not that! I’m just,” chewing on her words, Nikkie finally looks up to meet Karnelian’s gaze with unsure eyes. “Doctor, you’re part of the Big Bad Wolf, right? The next Diva Duel… next month, we…”

Ah, so that why, Karnelian thinks, eyes softening.

“Niko, are you still feeling guilty over that?” The doctor asks with a gentle voice that is so unlike him. Nikkie startles in surprise, but nods her head a second later. “Little phoenix… it was my decision to send you to the Hearts. I knew that you wouldn’t fit in with the Clubs; we’re a bunch of bloodthirsty wolves, and you’re— you shouldn’t have to suffer through that. You deserve better than that.”

“I know that,” Nikkie answers, her voice cracking with emotion, “but I, it’s just. You’ve taken care of me all this time, and now that we’re on opposite teams, I just feel… bad. Like I’m an ungrateful child turning against their parent.”

“Niko… hey, little phoenix, look at me.” Karnelian drops his voice to a whisper, reaching over to hold Nikkie’s hand in his own. “The fact that you’ve become part of Pandora’s Box is something I’ll always be proud of. It doesn’t matter that we’re on opposite sides, the fact is that you and I… we’re equals now. No longer are you that shy little hatchling I found that day, struggling to live. You’ve become the name I’ve given you.”

“Your firebird, reborn.” Nikkie breathes out, letting the doctor’s words of encouragement and reminiscence wash over her, taking strength in its warmth.

“That’s the spirit.” With a chuckle, Karnelian lets go of Nikkie’s hand, adjusting his glasses as he leans back. “Sadness doesn’t suit you, little phoenix. I’d much rather meet you on the stage with fire in your eyes.”

“As I you, doctor.”

“Right, then. I doubt you came all the way here to just have a chat,” smiling, Karnelian laces his fingers together as he looks at Nikkie with an expectant expression. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“I know duels aren’t supposed to leave any lasting physical damage, but I guess I must’ve scraped it too hard against the floor or something.” Nikkie explains as she rolls up the sleeve of her blouse to reveal a long, jagged scar running along the length of her upper arm.

“God, that looks terrible,” Karnelian mutters, pulling the arm closer so that he can take a better look. “Aren’t you the Jack of Pandora’s Box? I thought I taught you better than this.”

“Didn’t have time,” Nikkie admits, shaking her head. “Just patched it up as best I could, given the circumstances.”

“Circumstances?”

“…Hearts has a lot of enemies.”

“Ah. I see.”

Karnelian knows to avoid a sore spot when he sees one. It’s no mystery that the Hearts Suit is considered the weakest Suit amongst the four— now five. Lack of recruits, compounded with the fact that most of their current Divas are children, teenagers, barely-adults… they probably have to fend off challengers from other Suits every day.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s the way of life, right?”

Despite everything, Nikkie smiles, though she bites back a hiss when Karnelian wipes antiseptic over a particularly rough patch of reddened skin. The doctor finishes his work, quick and methodical as always, and wraps gauze around the entire length of the scar.

“There we go. It’ll get better in an instant, if your healing capability is still anything like it was back then.”

Giggling, Nikkie nods, confident that she’ll be as good as new soon enough.

“Now, as your doctor, I’d recommend avoiding any strenuous activity for the next week or so…” Karnelian starts, voice even and serious, but he lets a corner of his mouth lift up in a smile at the stubborn gleam that suddenly appears in Nikkie’s eyes. “But I know you, and I know you won’t like waiting around while your Court-mates do all the work defending your district.”

“You know me too well, Doctor.”

“So, I’ll just say this,” with a sigh, Karnelian leans back and gives his former nurse a wicked smile, one that she eagerly matches with a smirk of her own. “When we meet again next month, don’t let me down.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Thanks, Doctor.”

“No problem. Stay safe, little phoenix.”


	4. dreamelody the symphonia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> rei-focused ficlets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okey another p:aerthe-unrelated work, this one belonging in the pandora series
> 
> which is very very very obviously inspired by pandora voxx because i am a nostalgic piece of shit
> 
> you know when you made an asshole character but then you make them sympathetic and now you veer wildly between love and hate for them? yeah this is me towards rei.

The weird girl had been trailing him for quite a while now. Always appearing out of the corner of his eye, and blinking out of existence when he looked away. If he had any inclination/energy/will to do so, he would confront her over her actions and the fact that it was creepy as hell. Maybe she was a youkai or something, out for his blood. Who knows?

But alas, Rei couldn't give less of a damn. And so, he let the girl follow him wherever he went. It got to the point where her existence had become comforting, in a way. An ever-present anchor to reality. The fact that she didn't try to talk to him at any point was a big plus, too.

Until that one day.

It was an ordinary day, like any other. Maybe the only interesting thing was that it was a month before the new school year began. Rei didn't have high hopes for Yumelody Gakuen, despite what his parents had told him (bragged to him, really) of the prestigious academy. Despite the fact that one of his parents was in fact the school's principal. Elementary school had been isolating and lonely and monotonous, so he didn't expect secondary school life to be any different.

Better to be pessimistic and relish in knowing that you're right/correct(/the world is unfair anyway), or be pleasantly surprised if you're proven wrong/wrong(/wrong).

It was an ordinary afternoon, one of the last few days of late summer. Rei had settled on one of the living room couches, curled up in a ball and at least three hours deep in a good book. His parents were out, busy with their work as usual. Something (pink/black/white) kept flickering at the edge of his peripheral vision, but he tried his best to block it out and had mostly succeeded up to that point. Until the girl grabbed his book with both hands and practically yanked/ripped/tore it out of his grasp.

Rei gasped, his expression painting a portrait of shock and, moments later, red-hot fury that warred with smeared-over confusion. "What the hell?!", he mouthed (or maybe shouted, it's not like he can tell) at her, brows creasing in anger. The pink-haired girl merely gave him a sweet/sugary/saccharine smile, leaning back and looking for all the world like she was proud of herself for distracting him.

The girl then wiggled her fingers about—no, Rei recognized the gestures. She was signing. (When did she figure out he was deaf?) The girl signed her name at Rei, P-A-N-D-O-R-A, and nodded eagerly when he mouthed it back to her. Pandora? Rei frowned, snatching up his phone from the nearby coffee table and typing something out, 'is tht ur name? pandora'. He handed the phone over to the girl, who nodded again and signed something else. A-R-A-H-I-T-O… Arahitogami. A living god. Another word. M-I-R-A… Miracle?

The girl, she—the youkai, they—the god, it—Pandora then jabbed a slender finger at Rei's chest, before pulling its arm back and clasping both hands in front of its face. Rei watched it with mounting interest; something about whatever Pandora was doing was making it impossible to look away. It flicked its fingers outward in an imitation of an explosion, and lo and behold, a small iridescent glowing cube materialized and floated above its upturned palms.

_Do you wish?_

Rei started. What...?

_Do you wish? Do you not wish?_

Words, a voice, or at least an illusion of one, floated in the abyss of his mind.

Rei blinked, and suddenly found himself floating in an empty (nothing) grey. Pandora stood on (nothing) darkness in front of him, the serene smile still on its lips and the cube that glowed with all the colours of the rainbow still floating and spinning in front of it. It strode forward until its (non-existent) shadow loomed over Rei and the (non-existent) light turned its smile into a wide, maniacal grin.

The cube floated onward without its influence/guidance(/order) to stop it, until it was a hair's breadth away from Rei's heart and the next moment within him, pulsing along with his heartbeat. Instantly, Rei was assaulted by and drowned within visions/illusions/delusions that set his mind reeling and his body spinning out of control. Through it all, the image of Pandora's (lunatic/malicious/serene) grin burned itself onto his eyes, even as he fell through the grey into black/white(/nothing).

Pulling his gaze up, Rei met eyes with Pandora's own dark/bright/empty ones, which paradoxically seemed so close and yet so far away. _A wish_ , its illusionary voice reverently/gleefully whispered, despite the fact that Pandora didn't even open its mouth. _Such a strong wish_.

Rei blinked, and suddenly found himself back in the world of reality, freed from the monochrome of Pandora's mental palace/prison(/utopia). Something (power/ _power_ / **power** /silence) thrummed within him, surging through his veins and tingling at the tip of his fingers. Pandora sat in front of him, its hand still hovering over his chest and a satisfied grin still on its lips. For some reason, his face ached. Rei reached up to touch his cheeks. He was grinning, too.

* * *

“Let’s go to the beach,” they said. “It’s going to be fun,” they said. “One last family vacation before school starts,” they said. “Watch me shred some cool waves, yo,” one said, and then proceeded to do the exact opposite of that, to the other’s complete and utter amusement.

Rei groaned as he refused to leave the shade of the umbrella, even as his parents laughed as they playfully splashed each other with water and generally seemed to be having the time of their lives.

He loved his parents, he really did. They were the best mother and father a deaf teen could ever ask for; kind, loving, supportive. Really, the only problem was that, well…

“Dude! Reiii! Come on, the water’s great!!!” Miare hollered from where he stood waist-deep in the ocean. Akyuu stood beside him with one arm around Miare’s surfboard, while they used their free hand to pick out the seaweed tangled in his hair.

They were both drop-dead embarrassing. Rei felt his face turn a few shades of red darker as he pointedly looked anywhere but the direction of his parents. Pandora giggled beside him, unseen to anyone else.

_You should join them_ , it not-whispered in his mind. _Maybe it really is fun? You humans are easily amused, after all_.

‘not all of us’, Rei typed and then practically shoved his phone in Pandora’s face. After a moment of deliberation, he sighed and added, ‘also im fkin pale, ill get sunburnd’.

Pandora narrowed its eyes but seemed to drop the subject anyway, choosing instead to stick its feet out from the under the umbrella’s shadow and wiggle its toes.

Rei wondered if it knew what getting sunburned even meant. If it could even get sunburnt in the first place. For all that Pandora seemed to enjoy reality, Rei knew that its physical form remained trapped in the (his and its) mind-abyss. That, at least, was a reassuring thought. Somewhat. Maybe. The fact that they kinda shared the same headspace now didn’t, really.

Not half a minute later: _There’s something else, isn’t there? Tell me_.

The bespectacled teen sighed again, making sure to put his all in sounding as irritated as possible. Glancing around to make sure nobody was looking, he squeezed his eyes shut and focused on the power thrumming beneath his fingertips, re-establishing his mental link to the pink-haired god.

The familiar nausea that washed over him had become comfortable, in its own twisted way. Rei took a moment to anchor himself to reality/not-reality/monochrome before opening his eyes. The sight that met him wasn’t altogether unwelcome either, despite its incredibly disorienting effect: the monochrome dream-world superimposed over the world of reality.

Pandora floated some ways away, twirling in the black/white/invisible. It laughed with glee as it flew loops in the not-air, diving into the not-ocean and enjoying the spray of the not-waves. Then, in the blink of an eye, it reappeared just inches in front of Rei, a serious look on its face as it held both hands above his chest.

_You feel guilty_ , Pandora murmured, eyes fluttering shut. Rei thought that it looked pained, almost. For some reason, that only seemed to infuriate him further. Why did Pandora wear that face when it was he who was suffering?! _You don’t want to hurt them. You—_

**Silence**. Rei’s quiet not-voice was like fire/ice/lightning, and his eyes flashed with anger/hurt/hate(/self-hate). The pink-haired god reeled back and held a hand up to its cheek, as if physically struck. A flare of confidence/arrogance/ _take_ - **that** lit up Rei’s face even as he scowled. **Go away. I want to be alone right now.**

The god blinked in surprise, slack-jawed, before its expression smoothed back into that familiar condescending/pitiful/amused smile, as if it hadn’t just expressed a range of emotion Rei hadn’t thought it even capable of just moments before. _Of course, Virtuoso. As you wish_.

With a hop, skip, and jump, Pandora twirled around twice before striking a pose and throwing itself at Rei, colliding and melting into his physical body with a whoosh.

Rei shuddered at the sensation. He would never get used to… that. Laughter that wasn’t his bubbled up in his mind, but he shoved it back down with a growl. And finally, finally, Rei let himself teeter precariously on the knife’s edge of hate/ _hate_ / **hate** /self-hate, tilted himself backward and, for a lack of a better word, fell into the abyss/static/grey.

( _You feel guilty_.)

He did. He really did. Rei watched with eyes half-shut as his parents continued to enjoy the seaside, ever-oblivious to the turmoil that continued to plague their son. Ate at him in the other-world, devouring him whole and leaving nothing behind.

But it wasn’t their fault, not at all. It’s his.

His fault, for keeping secrets and harbouring grudges/refusing to be happy despite everything they did for him(/having his wish granted by a capricious monster masquerading as a human and claiming to be a god).

For not being the child— the bright ray of sunshine— the melody of hopes and dreams they deserved.

His father was as bright as the moon, and his mother sparkled like stars. He didn’t want to hurt them or their feelings, but it was just so difficult when it felt like he was nothing but a dark night sky.

(And Pandora, the sun. Warm and bright from afar, scorching and blinding up close.)

He didn’t deserve them. ( _Not someone like him_.)

Rei grimaced. Not someone with a _wish_ / **power** (/selfishness) like his.


End file.
